Chapter 119: The Tournament Begins, Second Master Offers Support
As the disciple competition of the Xianmen approaches, Li Changshou could distinctly feel a subtle undercurrent flowing through the sect from his seat in Xiaoqiong Peak.
"Elder Ge, do you have any extra Ambition Pills left?"
"Ah, Xiao Wu only gave me three. After using them, they really worked wonders, as if I've rediscovered the excitement of my younger days..."
"Indeed, these pills are exceptional. We've tried many spiritual pills and elixirs before, but only this one has reignited the passion in our desolate hearts."
"True, true. There's a particularly rare herb in this formula. I've pondered over it for a long time but still can't figure it out."
"It must be said, the junior disciple who concocted these pills is a talent..."
"Such a disciple must be kept in the sect and given key training..."
This conversation between two celestial elders was accidentally intercepted by Li Changshou using a Wind-Speaking Spell.
The elusive herb must be the somewhat 'unconventional' Sentiment Stone...
Originally, Li Changshou just needed to distribute the pill formula, and he wouldn't have much involvement in the matter;
However, the Ambition Pill isn't merely for stimulating the zeal for life in elder Qi cultivators; if someone used it for nefarious purposes, he would also bear some karma.
This pill differs from the Poison Dragon Wine;
Poison Dragon Wine replenishes vital energy and yang, influencing one's actions through physical reactions;
But the Ambition Pill acts directly on the mind.
Now, through his master, Wine Crow, controlling the distribution of these pills has become the most critical matter.
The pill's concoction isn't complicated, and the threshold for making it isn't high. The real challenge lies in the 'Sentiment Stone'.
This way, there won't be any suspicion regarding Li Changshou's cultivation level.
At most, people would marvel at how clever this junior disciple is, excelling in both formations and pill-concocting...
Originally, with half a month left before the Xianmen tournament, Li Changshou, this young disciple, should be preparing for the upcoming internal duels;
Though it seemed unnecessary, it was the logical thing to do.
But now...
"What tournament? Will you benefit more from the tournament or from concocting Ambition Pills?
Changshou, you're not just selling pills; you're making a significant contribution to the harmony and stability within our Xianmen!
Is it the Love Gu? I'll go and get you a couple of hundred pairs, just wait!"
After leaving these words, Wine Crow hastily left the sect to search for Love Gu in the market towns.
Li Changshou also reminded him that the Ambition Pill should remain a secret of Xiaoqiong Peak, not to mention the Love Gu or Sentiment Stone outside, to which Wine Crow readily agreed.
Bound by a profound oath, Wine Crow wouldn't risk his long life for a joke.
Six days later, Wine Crow indeed managed to procure three pairs of Love Gu, secretly delivering them to Li Changshou.
Li Changshou didn't hesitate;
In front of Wine Crow, he fed the Love Gu with Spirit-Solidifying Poison Grass, turning them into Sentiment Stones, and prepared the secret medicinal liquid necessary for the Ambition Pills, storing it in the pill room...
But the next batch of Ambition Pills would require at least forty-nine days to concoct.
Now that he had new Sentiment Stones, Li Changshou took out two-thirds of his remaining stock.
He still kept some for emergencies.
"Master, I have an idea."
Li Changshou pondered for a moment before speaking softly:
"In the future, please take extra care with the Ambition Pills, Master. We must keep a record of where each pill goes, even if the elders take them for gifting. We must know the details.
This pill can stimulate one's Dao heart but can also be used for evil, so we must be very cautious.
I can't let you do all this work for nothing, Master. Whatever benefits we receive from the elders, let's split them fifty-fifty, how about that?"
Wine Crow laughed, "You're so cautious, I wonder what you're afraid of! Don't worry about splitting it fifty-fifty; that's too unfair to you."
Li Changshou insisted, "I provide the Ambition Pills, and you distribute them to the elders. Both steps are equally important. The cost is mainly in these few pairs of Love Gu, and you've provided the precious materials for concocting the pills.
As you said before, we're not just selling pills; we're dealing in favors. Whatever the elders give, half is a fair share. Master, no need for formalities with me."
"This..."
After a moment of hesitation and seeing the sincerity in Li Changshou's eyes, Wine Crow agreed.
Li Changshou also reminded him not to mention the pill concocter during the 'pill presentation' and gave Wine Crow a copy of the pill formula.
Though Wine Crow felt somewhat uncomfortable being so taken care of by a junior nephew, he was deeply moved.
Thus, another batch of Ambition Pills 'circulated' out, landing in the hands of various elders with Dao companions.
This led to a slightly unusual phenomenon.
A few days later, when the tournament began, most of the celestial and true immortal elders gathered in the clouds.
Instead of the expected sight of hundreds of old, white-haired, crane-haired, and dignified elders, there were now groups of youthful and middle-aged male immortals, along with beautiful and gentle female immortals...
As the disciples widened their eyes in surprise, the appearance of the Xianmen sect leader almost made them think they had entered the wrong sect.
...
Half a day before the official start of the tournament.
Elder Qi Yuan finally left his straw hut, looking at his two disciples about to 'go to the exam at Breaking Heaven Peak', his eyes filled with emotion.
He had watched his two disciples grow up and was about to send them off for their test, stirring some feelings in Qi Yuan's heart.
But upon closer inspection, he noticed something amiss.
The big disciple, Li Changshou, was still as usual, wearing an ordinary robe with nothing particularly striking about his demeanor, making people subconsciously overlook him at first glance.
The little disciple, Ling E, was quite different today. She wore a warm yellow long dress. While the style was ordinary, the workmanship was exquisite. At first glance, it was obviously not an ordinary item, and the key point was that it radiated a faint immortal light, as if it were a treasure of the immortals.
It wasn't just the long dress; Ling E also wore vermillion hairpins on her head, jade bracelets on her wrists, a short sword in her hand, and even two unique earrings on her earlobes, all of which were treasures emitting immortal light...
In order to help his junior sister achieve a good ranking, Li Changshou armed her with immortal treasures. Moreover, all these treasures were brought by Uncle Jiuwu and bestowed by the elders of the sect; although this matter was not suitable for publicity, the elders would not be surprised why Xiaojiongfeng had so many treasures.
"Changshou," Qi Yuan looked at Li Changshou and whispered, "What unethical thing have you done?"
Li Changshou couldn't help but smile bitterly and handed a bag of treasures to his master with both hands. "Master, please take these treasures for self-defense. Master, please rest assured. These treasures were all rewards from the elders."
At that moment, Li Changshou informed his master about the matter of the Ambition Pill, and Daoist Qi Yuan also couldn't help but laugh and cry.
"We are the disciples of the Taoist school. Why would there be such a trend among fellow disciples... Sigh, forget it. Changshou, you have contributed the pill, but don't covet the rewards of the elders. It's with the support of these elders and the efforts of fellow disciples that we have the peace and stability in our practice today."
Li Changshou nodded repeatedly. When facing his master, he had to deal with it naturally. However, it was naturally impossible for him to give away the pills for free. With the help of the Ambition Pill, Li Changshou's plan to transform Xiaojiongfeng could be completed several hundred years earlier...
As the bell rang at the Poxian Peak, the two bid farewell to their master and flew towards the Poxian Peak. Along the way, they could see many clouds flying out of various peaks, high and low, all rushing to the venue for the sect's competition.
The venue was at the foot of the Poxian Peak, where there was a gentle slope and a valley. At this time, it had been simply arranged. The competition rules were not complicated: disciples drew lots to fight. Each disciple had twelve chances in the preliminary round. Based on the wins and losses of the twelve rounds, 360 people were selected for the next round, following the number of weeks in a year.
This process repeated continuously, selecting 108 people from the 360, then 72 from the 108, and then 36 from the 72...
Because of the large number of disciples, there was no time limit for the sect competition. There were fights during the day and lectures by the elders at night.
From this perspective, it was indeed a grand event held once every two hundred years in the sect, comparable to the founding ceremony.
After Li Changshou and Ling E, this pair of senior and junior siblings, arrived at the venue, they naturally found a inconspicuous corner to stay.
Some peaks that were relatively high-profile on weekdays, such as the Danding Peak and the Xianlin Peak, would also set up a flag with the words 'Dan' and 'Lin' written on it, and disciples from their respective peaks would gather there.
Some were more casual, with disciples gathering with familiar friends and casually visiting each other.
As the bell rang nine times, white clouds rose and fell everywhere, and the slopes and valleys were filled with people.
The last time so many disciples gathered was when the sect was attacked, but at that time, the disciples were just fleeing for their lives, quite embarrassed. Today, they were all full of vigor and enthusiasm, eager to try, showing the style of the great sect.
Seeing this scene, Li Changshou also felt poetic and silently recited to himself:
'The mountains are all handsome men, All the beauties in sight. Looking up at the clouds, The elders are extraordinary.'
Seeing the elders who had changed their usual old appearances, Li Changshou also felt somewhat powerless to comment.
Suddenly, there were praises from all around, and dozens of white clouds flew from the Poxian Peak.
The first one to arrive, wearing a fiery red long dress, with blue hair simply tied up, a frosty face, and a beauty comparable to a goddess, landed at the most conspicuous position reserved for her.
The current chief disciple, Qin Xuanya.
Before Qin Xuanya even landed, she looked around in the crowd, took two turns, and finally saw the senior and junior siblings. A slight smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, and she nodded gently in acknowledgment.
In an instant, all eyes gathered towards Li Changshou and Ling E.
When Qin Xuanya appeared, Li Changshou had already discreetly stepped back, and everyone's attention was completely drawn to Ling E.
However, Ling E greeted everyone openly, lowering her clean chin slightly, with a gentle smile on her lips, showing considerable confidence...
Then a voice came into her ears:
"Recite the Book of Stability a hundred times, and remember it."
Ling E immediately lowered her head, feeling annoyed. Why couldn't she control herself just now and compare herself to Senior Sister Qin?
As the disciples gathered at the slope and valley, white clouds floated around, and most of the immortals of the sect also gathered here.
Shortly after, the bell rang again, and a jade platform rose from the Poxian Hall, with dozens of figures sitting on it.
The head of the sect, Kongxu... cough, Daoist Wuyou, Deputy Head Zhongyu, along with several other elders in the Heavenly Immortal Realm, accompanied by dozens of guests who arrived a few days earlier, slowly descended from the jade platform.
Li Changshou secretly felt the aura on the jade platform, furrowing his brows slightly.
The alchemists from the Golden Turtle Island were here again; moreover, this time, there were two 'experts' in the Golden Immortal Realm, emitting a slight pressure of the Golden Immortal Realm, perhaps one of the two among the Ten Days Sovereigns.
Li Changshou had never seen them before, but he could only guess like this.
Earlier, when the blood mosquito puppets attacked the sect, three alchemists from the Golden Turtle Island were among them. Later, the Great Wizard Xuan Du investigated and found that these three were under mental control.
Today, the alchemists from the Golden Turtle Island came to this place again to observe the ceremony, probably intending to 'reconcile' with the Daoist school and make amends.
This matter had nothing to do with him as a junior disciple.
But behind the seats of these several Golden Arowana Island alchemists, there were also a few young disciples standing, among them a young man whom Li Changshou was quite familiar with...
At this moment, the young man also noticed Li Changshou;
He said a few words to a Taoist Golden Immortal of the Intercepting Sect, then slipped down from the jade platform and flew straight towards Li Changshou and Ling'e.
This wasn't just any ordinary person, it was a disciple of the Intercepting Sect, the Second Prince of the East Sea Dragon Palace, the Second Master of the South Sea Sea God Sect, and the Chief Guardian of the Azure Dragon
— Ao Yi! "Brother Changshou!"
"Oh, Brother Yi, good to see you!"
"Thanks to Brother Changshou's blessings, everything has been well lately."
The two exchanged a glance, everything understood without words.
According to the rules of the South Sea Sea God Sect, the true meaning behind their simple conversation just now was:
[Greetings to the Chief! The Second Chief is exempt from formalities, everyone is watching. Recently, everything has been fine in the Sea God Sect, the Chief need not worry, just focus on cultivation...]
And so on. Although the two were speaking in riddles and didn't reveal much, Ao Yi's previous visit to the Door to Immortality, where he befriended Li Changshou, was no secret. But at this moment, Li Changshou felt somewhat uncomfortable.
On his left stood a young apprentice sister whose reputation in the sect had been skyrocketing recently, attracting the attention of male disciples from time to time.
On his right stood a person of no small background, a young man whose figure and face were quite outstanding, with a pair of slightly cute dragon horns, occasionally drawing the attention of female disciples.
And Li Changshou, stuck in the middle:...
He couldn't help but feel that his previous ten years of quiet, comfortable, and low-key cultivation life had disappeared forever.